pop_culturefandomcom-20200223-history
Acker Bilk
Bernard Stanley "Acker" Bilk, Pensford (near Bath ( Somerset ), January 28 1929 - Bath , November 2 2014 ) was an English clarinetist in the Dixieland - jazz . Had a goatee characteristic of him, bowler hat, striped waistcoat and his full, vibrato-rich , lower register clarinet style. He was also known by his stage name Mr. Acker Bilk. Content * 1 Early years * 2 Musical career * 3 Private Life * 4 Discography (selection) Early years The nickname Acker is the southwestern English slang for "friend" or "companion". His parents tried him piano letting them learn, but as a boy was going to be more interested in outdoor activities such as football. In a fight at school, he lost two teeth in an accident on the luge he lost half a finger, and the two incidents have as its ultimate Bilk clarinet style influenced. 1 After school he worked for three years in a cigarette factory in Bristol . Then he performed his military service out. In that period Bilk learned the clarinet from his friend, the Sapper John Britten, who had bought second-hand instrument, but it was not very useful. The cane was missing and Britons had solved that by using a piece of scrap wood instead. Musical career After his military service was Bilk work at the forge of an uncle. In the evenings he played music with friends, initially in Bristol. In 1951 he moved to London , where he played in a band with Kenneth Colyer. Bilk did not feel at home in London and founded in his hometown Bristol Paramount Jazz Band. Their representative they could six months in Düsseldorf play in a local pub. There developed Bilk with his band the style that announced him. On returning to Britain went Bilk play in the London jazz club scene and so became part of the traditional jazz that made in the late 1950s entrance. At that time he was already called Mister Acker Bilk. In the 1960s Bilk wrote several songs with pianist Dave Collett. He reached the fifth place in the British charts 2 and eleven hits in the top 50. Acker Bilk became an international star after he expanded his music band and in 1962 released its own number. After the birth of his daughter Jenny, he wrote a song for her . That song was used for the British television series Stranger on the Shore . Therefore, the number was 55 weeks long in the UK charts and was also up in the US charts. More than a million copies were sold and the song was awarded a gold record. 3 It was the beginning of a major international career for Acker Bilk. His success only experienced a decline when British rock 'n' roll began to be popular in 1964, making Bilk previously ended up in the cabaret circuit. Nevertheless, he scored a hit with Aria in 1976. In 1977 he played during an interlude for the Eurovision Song Contest . Other major successes were still Evergreen album, released in 1978. In the early 80s the number Stranger On The Shore''was used again, this time in the soundtrack of the film biography of country legend Patsy Cline . In 2001 Acker Bilk was crowned member of the Order of the British Empire . In 2012 it was Bilks number ''Aria musical thread in a Polish film. Most of his classic albums with the Paramount Jazz Band are still available. Bilk is called the master of the clarinet. His clarinet sound and style is similar to that of American jazz musicians such as Benny Goodman , Artie Shaw and Russell Procope . The song Stranger On The Shore became a standard number in jazz, but also remains in popular music popular. Acker Bilk touring stepped into old age even with the Paramount Jazz Band. Personal life Acker Bilk married Jean, a girl he had known from his childhood. The couple had two children. 4 In 2000, at Bilk throat cancer determined. Since then he still several surgeries, among others underwent bladder cancer and he also got a small stroke . 4 Sadly, he is deceased at the age of 85.5 He was buried at All Saints Churchyard in Bath. Discography (selection) * Stranger on the Shore, 1961 * Taste of Honey , EMI , 1963 * Acker Bilk in Holland, Wim Wigt / Timeless Records , 1984/2000 * It Looks Like a Big Time Tonight (with Ken Colyer ), Stomp Off 1985 * All That Jazz (compilation album with recordings of Bilk, Kenny Ball and Chris Barber ), Kaz 1994 Category:British clarinettist Category:Jazz Clarinetist Category:1929 births Category:2014 deaths